There is a restaurant here in Hawaii(and apparently elsewhere across the US) called Maui Tacos, and I will share some information on them with you, but tonight I made tacos for dinner. Well, a cross between tacos and burritos.

Typically burritos are made with the big flour tortillas, but being gluten-free I don’t eat the flour tortillas. I eat corn, and I actually now have a preference for corn tortillas. My dad told me that there is a taco stand down the road from his house now, and that he always gets corn tortillas. The woman working at the stand asks him every time wether he’d prefer corn or flour. He tells her corn, and every time he tells her that she looks very confused but gives him the corn tortillas anyway. I guess most white American men prefer flour, or at least in her mind they do.

1cupbrown rice, cooked (Leftover brown rice works great here to help make cooking this meal go much more quickly.)

1can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1teaspoonGoya Adobo powder

1teaspoonground cumin

2teaspoonschili powder

14 Mission corntortillas

1cup Tillamook white cheddar cheese, shredded

1bunchfresh spinach

Salt and Pepper

Sour cream or substitute, and salsa

x. Preheat your oven to 250F.

1. If you haven’t already cooked up your rice, do so before beginning on the rest of your meal preparation. This could take you up to an hour or more depending on how you cook your brown rice.

2. Rinse the lentils, and then put them in a pot with water coming up to about an inch or so above them. Bring this to a boil, and then simmer it for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and most of the water is absorbed. Drain off any unused water.

3. Put the lentils and brown rice into a large skillet with the diced tomatoes with green chiles.

4. Add in all of the spices, including salt and pepper, and mix well.

5. Tear up the spinach into bite sized pieces and place it into the skillet as well. Mix everything together well and let the spinach wilt for about 5 minutes. Heat all of the this through well.

6. Warm the corn tortillas in another skillet to make them more pliable. Then, add the filling to each tortilla. Add about a golf ball sized amount. Top the filling with the shredded cheese and roll the tortilla shut.

7. Repeat the above process until all of the filling is used. Place the tacorritos into a large baking dish and place the dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tortillas reach the crispness you desire.

8. Top with sour cream or substitute, and salsa.

Now, to discuss Maui Tacos.

UPDATE 5/16/10:

Unfortunately the last two times I dined out at Maui Tacos in the last two months I have become very ill. I know that I have recommended this restaurant to many of you before, but until the restaurant assures me that they are making serious efforts to eliminate cross contamination I will not be dining there myself. I sent them an e-mail this morning expressing my concerns and offering my assistance in understanding what it takes to offer gluten-free food to residents and visitors to the island who have Celiac Disease. I can only hope that they care enough to become one of the few places where it is safe for us to dine.

Please accept my sincerest apologies if you have dined at Maui Tacos and become ill. It was not my intention. My intention is to bring you information on places to eat that are safe, and to share information on the latest food finds around the island. Once again, I am extremely sorry.

I was so excited to see you thought Maui Tacos was a great place– I just ate two tacos. TWO. I never eat out because food is such an issue. Unfortunately I didn’t read all the way down…I missed the update. I hope to God I don’t experience what I fear. Maybe the more serious updates or notices should be in red or something. I respect your blogging and sharing of info.
Thanks.